3D ultrasounds - What have your experiences been?

[LucyG]

We have the option of doing a 3D ultrasound with this baby, at 28 weeks. There is no medical reason to do so, but my OBGYN office has recently begun offering optional 3D's at the patient's expense. For a 30 minute ultrasound, the cost is $150. This would be all out-of-pocket for us. While it would be great fun to see the baby in 3D, I'm just wondering if it's worth $150. I know it's a personal decision, but I was curious to know what your experiences with 3D ultrasounds have been. Did you feel it was worth the expense (if you had to pay for yours)? As an aside, if the baby is not positioned favorably, or if the tech is otherwise unable to get good pictures the day you go for the 3D, they have you come back until they do get good pictures, or they don't charge you. TIA for sharing your experiences!


http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_sapphire_24m.gif[/img][/url]
nursed for 2.5 years!
And . . . Blessing #2 due in March!

[tarabenet]

I'm not there yet, but my bro and SIL did the 3D/4D (video) thing with my niece. There is some concern about whether there may be any long-term effects on the baby, but no data that I've heard of. What I saw though, was my little brother (OK, he was 34, but he'll always be my "little" bro!) suddenly realize he was going to be a daddy! It made that baby very real for him, in ways that regular u/s and everything else had not. It was magic to the rest of us, too. I could never see anything on the regular kind of u/s. But here we had these amazing sepia-toned pictures of this baby, months before she was coming into the world. SIL ran the video (DVD) in the background at her shower, too.

So: worth it? Very personal decision. Maybe think in terms of what else you would do with that $150? If there is something important, then skip the 3D. But if you would be willing to pay $150 for a set of slightly-out-of-focus sepia-toned photos of your baby, then there you go.

Either way, good luck and congrats!

Benet

[ribbit1019]

The machine our tech had had converted from the 2D to 3D. Honestly little man looks like a troll. And I had to explain where everything was to everyone that looked at the picture.

We had our U/S at 19 1/2 weeks, the tech said she doesn't get "good" pictures (menaing they actually look like babies) until 30-38 weeks. I wouldn't pay the $150, but that is my opinion.

Christy
"My Mommy" to Maddy born 06/09/04
http://lilypie.com/baby2/040609/3/4/0/-5/.png
and soon to Little Man due 03/02/06
http://bd.lilypie.com/cKLom4/.png

Join the BBB Preggo Pals!!
http://s14.invisionfree.com/BBB_Preggo_Pals/index.php?act=Reg&CODE=0

[brittone2]

We did this when I was pg with DS. It was an awesome experience and we got great pics, but that was before the concerns arose about whether or not there could be ill effects from it.

As much as I enjoyed it, I would hesitate to do it again most likely in the absence of a medical condition that necessitated a closer look.

I think a lot of the concern was the type of technicians doing it and parents skipping OB appts because they could have something like this done at a mall (ours wasn't at a mall but you get the idea). Having it done in an OB office would avoid those concerns, but it also sounds like they are trying to profit as a result, kwim?

I don't think there is a lot of research out about it, but when concerns first started popping up I believe there was mention of a very small study done in Europe showing some slight speech delays in children that had received 3-d USs.

It was worth the money, but other than that I think it is a personal decision as to whether or not to do it.

[muskiesusan]

The FDA issued this policy statement on "keepsake" ultrasounds that I thought was interesting. I came across it when I was pregnant with Alex, which is why I know about it (I point this out as I have posted this link before and I don't want people to think I am on a campaign against ultrasounds, lol).

http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2004/104_images.html


Susan
Mom to Nick 10/01
& Alex 04/04

[crayonblue]

I had 3D ultrasounds taken when Lauren was just 10 weeks or so, so just a pea. I was going to an RE and he had 3D ultrasound machines. Obviously, your experience at 28 weeks would be very, very different, but I wouldn't pay for it. My insurance covered the cost.

[Radosti]

I am 34 weeks now, but had a 3D/4D done at 28 weeks. It cost us $165. It was definitely worth it. He was such a cute little pumpkin then, I can't even imagine what an adorable little guy he is now. Especially since he's all filled out by now I bet. His picture is in my signature.

[pb&j]

We've had several this pg. We've had a lot of u/s's to rule out the birth defects our daughter had, and when they went well (and they did!), the tech or OB would turn on the 3D. There is no difference in the ultrasonic waves the 3D emits, the difference is in the processing software, so the risks are the same as the 2D. Originally, I didn't really care if we had the 3D or not - our u/s's were for information, not for fun. However, I'm glad we did get the 3D - the pics are really amazing, and it's been great fun trying to figure out who this baby looks like. Unfortunately, he's a little camera-shy, and always seems to have his hand up beside his face. So we've got lots of pictures of his hand, and of the back of his head. We did get one shot of his ear that would have been worth an extra $150 to me. It sounds silly, but DH has these funny little ears, and it looks like his son has them as well.


-Ry,
mom to Emma, stillborn 11/04/04
and Max, edd 01/15/06 - it's a HEALTHY BOY!

http://lilypie.com/days/060115/3/25/1/-5/.png[/img] ([img)

[amp]

We paid $75 for ours and although the pics were not the as good as the ones you see in advertisements, I thought it was amazing! The tech had a hard time getting great shots, and yet, for me, seeing her face on (without that skeletal look you get w/ 2d when they do face on shots), it was nothing short of amazing. My ob's office does them between 22-32 wks and she said when we did ours at 25 is a great time!

[spanannie]

It was not worth it to us. I think it depends on your baby's positioning, as to how well the photos will turn out. We went at 28 weeks, and couldn't get any good shots of her. Her face was smashed up against the placenta and we couldn't really get any good pics of her face. You couldn't tell much about her, except that she had big pouty lips, which she still has ;-)

The u/s place wasn't happy with what they got either, so they rescheduled me to come back at 32 weeks, IIRC. We still couldn't get any good shots of her. Her face was just in the wrong place.

It was expensive, and I doubt I would do it again. There are a lot of people who are pleased with their results, though, but there is no guarantee of the baby cooperating ;-)

[Mommy_Again]

did it, loved it, watched it every day before he was born! It really did look like him- amazing. Ours was $100, I think- you could choose either VHS or still shots. We chose VHS and got it converted to a DVD and made copies for family members, but our technician also printed out several still shots.

Because of the concerns out there, I would only do it at a trusted doctor's office- no mall kiosks.